Page 26 - Harnett Life Fall 2021

Good Advice

for Troubled

Times

By Pastor Charles Locklear

The whole world is facing trouble like I have never seen. In Bible. The Bible is a book of truth. it is good for all ages and
every corner of the earth there is a looming threat over hu- all circumstances. The Bible has all the answers we need if
manity that seems to be getting worse day by day. Is spite of we will just calm down and allow God to speak to us from it.
the tremendous effort of the world greatest genius in the medi- Consider these words. James 5:13 Is any among you afflicted?
cal and scientific community we seem to be losing the battle let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. 14 Is any sick
with COVID-19. The daily report of new cases and deaths among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let
are too many to dismiss or to ignore. We surely are living in them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the
troubled times. People are looking for answers. People are Lord: 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the
looking for solutions and advice. Who is telling us the truth Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they
and why should we trust them? As a Christian minister I have shall be forgiven him.
been given the privilege and the duty to remind the people of
faith and those who are being drawn to the faith, that there is These words were written by the Apostle James who was our
plenty of reason for us to be encouraged and to walk forward Lord’s half-brother and one of the three pillars of the early
in these troubled times with strength of mind and strength of church. He was a very highly respected Christian leader who
heart. The God of our faith is still sovereign and in complete was chosen as the pastor of the first local church that was estab-
control. He is neither nervous nor confused about what is hap- lished in the city of Jerusalem after the Day of Pentecost. These
pening and why it’s happening. While we must face the trouble words were written primarily to Jewish Christians who had
of our world, just the same as those who are non-Christian, we been scattered after persecution broke out enter Jerusalem. The
do so with a blessed hope in our hearts. As we move forward, letter was written to instruct believers in what it meant to be a
we really need some good advice. Should we get our advice genuine Christian in a non-Christian world. He gives instruc-
from our doctor or our lawyer, politicians ,educators, Spiritual tions about what to believe and how to behave as Christian
Leaders? To whom should the people of faith depend upon to people. He was convinced that evidence should be showing in
help us find our way through the chaos and uncertainty that a person’s life to reflect a decision to follow Christ as Savior
plagues our world. Perhaps all of them have something to say and Lord. He wrote it to a people who were living in troubling
that we would benefit from but ultimately the people of faith times. Its words contain good advice about how to endure and
should place their confidence in the advice we find in the Holy enjoy the Christian faith even while the world is falling down

Page 26 Harnett Life ~ Fall 2021

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